Safety bottle cap



March 4, 1969 R. c. BERG SAFETY BOTTLE CAP Filed July 18, 1967 nlv INVENTOR. ROBERT c. BERG 74W!) GLA/1.51%

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ATTORNEYS Fig. 3

United States Patent O 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bottle cap assembly comprising an inner cap for closing the mouth of the iiller neck of a bottle and an outer cap arranged telescopically to enclose said inner cap. The inner 'cap is provided with at least one resilient linger-like member extending downwardly to engage the bottle to hold the inner cap on the mouth. The outer cap is provided with means for engaging the finger-like member to move the member out of engagement with the bottle when the outer cap is moved axially outwardly relative to the inner cap. In one preferred embodiment, the inner cap is provided with a plug portion which extends into the iiller neck sealably to close the bottle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to bottle caps, and more particularly to the provision of a cap assembly which may be used to close a bottle having a filler neck provided with a perimetrally extending groove, reduced diameter portion or bead which is releasably engaged by the cap assembly.

Description of the prior art Prior art cap assemblies of the type discussed herein have not been constructed and arranged to enclose and protect the mouth and iiller neck portion of a bottle. The most common of the prior art cap assemblies are arranged to extend downwardly into the mouth o-f the bottle sealably to engage the inner Wall of the ller neck. See, for instance, U.S. Patent No. 2,935,219 issued May 3, 1960.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a container, such as a bottle, having a filler neck provided with a perimetrally extending groove, an inner cap for closing the mouth of the filler neck, the inner cap Ibeing provided with a resilient finger depending therefrom, and an outer cap loosely telescopically enclosing the inner cap. The resilient finger depending from the inner cap carries a protrusion or bead which is arranged releasably to engage the perimetrally extending groove to hold the inner cap on the mouth. The outer cap is provided with a lug or the like which is arranged to engage the finger and to move the linger outwardly from the filler neck when the outer cap is moved axially relative to the inner cap, thereby to disengage the protrustion carried Iby the finger from the perimetrally extending groove in the iiller neck.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner and outer caps are fabricated from a resilient, plastic-like material. Also, in the preferred embodiment, there is a pair of skirt-like fingers carrying protrusons for engaging the perimetrally extending groove, each of these iingers Ibeing arranged perimetrally to enclose substantially one-half of the filler neck. In order sealably to close the bottle, the inner cap is provided with a resilient, plastic-like plug which extends downwardly into the neck of the bottle.

The inner and outer caps are arranged so that, when the inner cap is held against the mouth of the filler neck and the outer cap is pulled axially outwardly from the bottle, the protrusions carried by the lingers depending from the inner cap will be disengaged from the groove in the liller neck so that the entire cap assembly can be removed yfrom the bottle. It will `be apparent, from the following description, that a positive action is required t0 remove the cap assembly from the bottle and that, even though the action required to remove the cap assembly is relatively simple, the cap assembly will not come off the bottle if the bottle is dropped.

Itis an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a cap assembly which may be easily placed on a filler neck and which may be removed from the ller neck only by the application of predetermined forces on the proper portions of the cap assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a cap assembly comprising an inner cap arranged to close the mouth of the filler neck and an outer cap telescopically enclosing in the inner cap, the inner and outer caps being cooperatively associated so that, vwhen the inner cap is urged axially inwardly while, at the same time, the outer cap is urged laxially outwardly, the means which engage the inner cap with the filler neck are disengaged so that cap assembly can be removed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide `such a cap assembly which encloses and protects the filler neck.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a cap assembly including a plug carried by the inner cap and arranged to extend downwardly into the filler neck sealably to close the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a exploded perspective view of the cap assembly ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the cap assembly of FIG. 1 closing the mouth of a filler neck which has a perimetrally extending groove formed therein; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the cap assembly of the present invention showing the manner in Iwhich the cap assembly is removed from the ller neck and also showing a plug which seals the mouth of the iiller neck.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the cap assembly of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, comprises an inner cap 12 and an outer cap 14, the inner cap and outer cap being indicated generally by their respective reference numerals. The cap assembly I10 is arranged to close a bottle 16 having a cylindrical iiller neck 18 which is provided with a peripherally extending groove 20 formed therein. It will be apparent as this description progresses that the groove 20 is illustrative and that a reduced diameter portion will work equally as well.

The inner cap 12 comprises a portion 22 arranged to -t down over and close the mouth 24 of the iiller neck `18, a thumb-engaging portion `26 extending axially outwardly from the portion 22, a radially outwardly and peripherally extending flange 28 which, in the illustrative embodiment, is an extension of the portion `22 and an axially slotted skirt 30 depending from the por-tion 22 substantially to enclose the filler neck 18 above the groove l20. Specifically, in the illustrative embodiment, the skirt 30 is provided with a pair of axially extending slots `32, only one of which is shown, which divide the skirt 30 into a pair of oppositely disposed skirt-like lfingers l34 and 36 depending from the portion 22 of the inner cap 12.

The lower edge portion 38 of each of the fingers 34 and 36 is flared outwardly and downwardly to provide a Wedge surface which will be discussed in the following paragraphs. Each of the fingers 34 and 36 is also provided with a peripherally extending bead 40 which releasably engages the groove to hold the inner cap 12 in its proper position on the filler neck 18.

It will also be apparent that, in an alternate embodiment which is not shown, beads corresponding to the beads 40 could be formed in the filler neck 18 and grooves corresponding to the groove 20 could be formed in the fingers 34 and 36.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the inner cap 12 and outer cap 14 are fabricated from resilient, plastic-like material and the fingers 34 and 36 are proportioned and arranged to urge the beads 40 into engagement with the groove 20. That is, each of the fingers 34 and 36 is proportioned and arranged resiliently and peripherally to engage the outer surface of the filler neck 18.

When the inner cap 12 is in its position shown in FIG. 2, i.e., when the beads 4t) are engaged with the groove 20, the upper, inwardly turned portions 42 of the fingers 34 and 36 engage the outwardly curved lip 44 which is conventionally formed on filler necks of bottles. Thus, when the inner cap 12 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the engagement of the beads 40 with the groove 20 and the engagement of the portions 42 with the lip 44 tend to prevent movement of the inner cap in the direction of the arrow 46. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the design and fabrication of resilient, plasticlike devices that because of the skirt-like shape of the fingers 34 and 36, if the beads 40 are engaged with the groove 20, it will be very difficult to move the inner cap -12 in the direction of the arrow 46 merely by pulling axially on the portion 26 or by pushing transaxially on the portion 26.

The outer cap 14 is provided with a concentric circular opening 48 through which the inner cap 12 is inserted. That is, the inner cap 12 is inserted in the direction of the arrow 50 (FIG. l) through the opening 48 until the fiange 28 engages the top surface 52 of the outer cap 14. Since the flange 28 is fabricated from a resilient, plasticlike material, the flange 28 can be bent as suggested by the dashed lines in FIG. 2 to insert the ange 28 through the opening 48.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the outer cap 14 is formed to provide a peripherally extending receptacle 54 which receives loosely the ange 28. The receptacle 54 includes axially spaced walls 56 which determine the relative axial movement between the inner cap 12 and the outer cap 14.

The outer cap 14 is also provided with a peripherally extending skirt 58 depending from the receptacle 54, the skirt 58 being arranged peripherally to enclose the fingers 34 and 36.

A pair of lugs 60 is carried by the skirt 58 at its lower edge, the lugs being spaced at diametrically opposite positions on the skirt 58. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that each lug 60 is formed to extend axially outwardly from the bottle 16 and radially inwardly toward the filler neck 18 to engage the lower edge portion 3S of the finger 34, 36. Thus, it will be apparent that each lug is formed to define a wedge surface which coacts with the wedge surface defined by the lower edge portion 38 of the finger 34, 36 so that, when the outer cap 14 is moved axially in the direction of the arrow 46, the finger 34, 36 will be wedged outwardly to disengage the bead 40 carried by the finger from the groove 20. When the beads 40 are disengaged from the groove 20 as shown in FIG. 3 and the outer cap 14 is pulled farther in the direction of the arrow 46, the inner cap 12 will be disengaged from the mouth 24 and the lip 44.

When the beads 40 are disengaged from the groove 20 and the outer cap 14 is pulled in the direction of the arrow 46, the lugs 60 pull on the fingers 34 and 36 which, in effect, are used as push rods to disengage the upper portions 42 from the lip 44. The fingers 34 and 36 can be used as push rods because of the manner in which they are formed. That is, since each finger 34, 36 is formed as a portion of a skirt, the column effect of the curvature of the finger 34, 36 prevents buckling of the finger when it is used as a push rod in the manner just described.

Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that a person may remove the cap assembly 1G from the bottle 16 by placing his thumb on the portion 26 and pressing in the direction of the arrow 62 while at the same time pulling on the wall portion 64 of the outer housing 14 in the direction of the arrows 66.

In the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 3, a plug 68, which is integrally formed on the portion 22 of the inner cap 12, is arranged to extend downwardly into the filler neck 18 sealably to close the bottle 16.

Since the illustrative lugs 60 are relatively narrow in width as compared to the perimeter of the lower edge portion 38 of the fingers 34 and 36, it is desirable to locate the lugs 60 substantially in the midportion of their respective fingers 34 and 36 to facilitate the disengagement of the beads 40 from the groove 20. That is, if each lug 60 engages its associated finger 34, 36 at a point adjacent a slit 32, it will be relatively difficult to disengage the beads 40 from the groove 20 merely by pulling on the outer cap 14 in the direction of the arrow 46. Thus, in the preferred embodiment of this invention, the outer cap 14 is rotatable as suggested by the arrow 74 so that the lugs 60 may be placed in a proper position to engage the fingers 34 and 36. Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that there is an arrow 76 or an arrow-like indicia printed or otherwise formed on the flange 28 and a pair of spaced-apart dots 78 printed or otherwise formed on the upper surface 52 of the outer cap 14. The arrow 76 and dots 78 are arranged so that, when the arrow 76 points to the space between the dots 78, the lugs 60 are in the proper position to engage their respective fingers 34 and 36.

While there have been discussed above the principles of this invention in conjunction with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure for a container comprising an inner cap for closing the mouth of said container, a resilient finger depending from the cap, means carried by said finger for engaging said container to hold said inner cap on said mouth, said finger being proportioned and arranged to urge said engaging means inwardly toward said container, an outer cap telescopically enclosing said inner cap, and means carried by said outer cap for engaging said linger so that, when said outer cap is moved axially outwardly relative to said inner cap, said second-mentioned engaging means will move said finger and said first-mentioned engaging means outwardly from said container, thereby to release said inner cap from said mouth.

2. A closure as in claim 1 further comprising a resilient plug carried by said inner cap, said plug being arranged to extend downwardly into said mouth sealably to close said container.

3. A closure as in claim 1 wherein said second-mentioned engaging means comprises a lug extending upwardly and inwardly to engage the lower end of said finger and wherein the lower end of said finger extends downwardly and outwardly so that, when said lug is moved upwardly, said lug wedges said finger outwardly.

4. A closure as in claim 1 wherein said inner cap further comprises a laterally outwardly and perimetrally extending ange, and wherein said outer cap further come prises a |perimetrally extending receptacle receiving said flange and defining a space in which said ange can move axially relative to said receptacle.

5. A closure as in claim 1 wherein said inner cap further comprises a thumb-engaging member extending axially outwardly from the portion of said inner cap which covers said mouth, said outer cap being provided with an opening through which .said thumb-engaging member extends.

`6. A closure as in claim 3 wherein said outer cap is rotatable relative to said inner cap to place said lug in a position properly to engage said finger.

7. A closure as in claim `6 wherein said inner cap and outer cap are provided with markings arranged to indicate when said lug is in said position.

8. In combination: a container including a filler neck having a mouth; and a closure for said container cornprising an inner cap disposed on and closing the mouth of said neck, at least one resilient linger depending from said inner cap, one of said neck and ringer having a perimetrally extending groove formed therein and the other -having a protrusion carried thereon and arranged releasably to engage said groove to hold said inner cap on said neck, said finger being proportioned and arranged to establish and yieldalbly maintain engagement of said .protrusion in said groove when said inner cap is closing said mouth, an outer cap telescopically enclosing said inner cap, and at least one lug carried by said outer cap and arranged to engage `said linger to disestablish such engagement when said outer cap is moved axially outwardly relative to said ller neck and said inner cap.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said groove is formed in said filler neck and said protrusion is carried by said finger.

10. The combination of claim 8 further comprising a plug carried by said inner cap and extending downwardly into said mouth of said filler neck sealably to engage the inner walls thereof.

11. The combination of claim 9 wherein said inner cap further comprises a radially outwardly and peripherally extending flange, a thumb-engaging portion extending axially outwardly from the portion of said inner cap which engages said mouth, said linger constituting one of a pair of resilient, oppositely disposed skirt portions substantially peripherally enclosing said iiller neck above said groove, said skirt portions depending from the portion of said cap which closes said mouth, said protrusion comprising a bead formed on each said skirt portion, said beads being arranged releasably to engage said groove to hold said inner cap on said mouth, each of vsaid skirt portions being proportioned and arranged to urge its bead into engagement with said groove, the lower edge of each skirt portion being formed to extend axially inwardly toward said container and radially outwardly from said ller neck, said outer cap further comprising a peripherally extending receptacle loosely receiving said flange, a peripherally extending skirt depending from the axially inner portion of said receptacle to enclose telescopically said skirt portions, there being a pair of said lugs carried by the lower portion of said skirt and being oppositely disposed, each of said lugs being formed to extend axially outwardly from said container and radially inwardly toward said ller neck, each of said lugs being arranged to engage the lower edge of one of said skirt portions to wedge said skirt portion outwardly from said filler neck when `said outer cap is moved axially outwardly relative to said inner cap, thereby to disengage the bead of said skirt from said groove, and said receptacle being provided with axially spaced walls enclosing said ange and dening the maximum movement of said outer cap relative to said inner cap.

12. The combination of `claim 11 wherein said filler neck is formed to provide a protruding li-p surrounding said mouth, and wherein each of said skirt portions is formed with an inturned portion engaging the lip thereby to assist in holding said inner cap on said mouth.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner. 

